CANYON, Texas – The #4 Belles of Angelo State were down to their last strike but two runs in the top of the seventh inning and a triple in extras gave ASU the weekend Lone Star Conference over the #15 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M in another classic WT/ASU rivalry game at Schaeffer Park in Canyon, Texas.
 
The Lady Buffs hit the road next weekend for Lone Star Conference action as they head to Wichita Falls, Texas to take on the rival Mustangs of Midwestern State in a three-game series starting on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Mustang Park.
 
THE BASICS:
- Game 1 Score: #15 West Texas A&M 8, #4 Angelo State 2
- Game 2 Score: #4 Angelo State 4, #15 West Texas A&M 3 (8 Innings)
- Records: WT (23-5, 6-3 LSC) / ASU (27-3, 11-1 LSC)
- Location: Canyon, Texas
- Venue: Schaeffer Park
 
HOW IT HAPPENENED (GAME 1):
The Lady Buffs took their first lead of the series in the home half of the first inning as Suka Van Gurp singled to deep left field with one out to score Ashley Hardin, who ledoff the frame with a double down the left field line for an early 1-0 lead.
 
Angelo State responded in the top of the third inning as Madison Greenwell connected on a solo homerun to left center to leadoff the frame, Bailey Wallace followed that up with a single up the middle before Shayne Starkey forced a pair of popups to Van Gurp at second followed by a popup to Alyx Cordell at short to end the inning tied at 1-1.
 
WT retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as Shanna McBroom doubled to the left center field gap followed by a Starkey walk and a wild pitch to put Lady Buffs on the corners with one out, Allie Smith lifted a deep fly ball to the warning track in left field for the sac fly to score McBroom from third to make it 2-1. WT wasn't done yet as Stevie McLemore capped off a 10-pitch at-bat with a single to left followed by an RBI single down the left field line by Cordell for the 3-1 lead.
 
The Lady Buffs used the long ball to add to their lead in the fifth as Kylee Moore crushed a two-run shot the opposite way for the junior's 15^th homerun of the season to make it 5-1. The Belles cut into the lead in the top of the sixth inning as Jade Strother singled to left center with two outs before Starkey showed her athleticism in the circle with a backhanded stop in the circle to end the inning with WT leading 5-2.
 
WT looked to add to the lead in the sixth as Cordell walked with one out followed by a Hardin double down the left field line to knock ASU's Brandy Marlett from the circle, Meagan Hill entered and forced a pop up for the second out before Moore crushed a 1-0 fastball over the scoreboard in center field for a three-run bomb to extend the lead to 8-3.
 
Starkey picked up the win in the circle (9-0) for the Lady Buffs as the junior left-hander allowed two runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeout in the complete game victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENENED (GAME 2):
The Lady Buffs jumped out to an early lead in the series finale as McBroom singled to center field with two outs as Coveney raced home from second to score for the early 1-0 lead. The Lady Buffs used the long ball again in the home half of the third inning as Moore lifted a solo shot the other way over the black monster in left field for the 2-0 lead.
 
The Belles looked to respond in the top of the fourth as they started the inning with a pair of singles to put runners on the corners with no outs followed by a full-count walk to load the bases, the WT defense turned a double play before a Strother single to left with a WT error to allow a run to score ASU's first run of the game before a grounder to Coveney ended the threat with WT still holding the 2-1 lead.
 
WT added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as Hardin doubled to right center with one out to score McLemore from third followed by what looked to be a sac fly to left but as out was called on the base paths for a missed tag-up to end the inning with WT leading 3-1.
 
Morgan Hill gave way to Marlett with one out in the sixth and the senior All-American forced a popup in foul territory and a grounder to short to end the inning and send the teams to the seventh with WT leading 3-1.
 
Danae Bina led off the seventh with an infield single followed by a Brooke Mangold single up the middle to turn over the ASU lineup, Greenwell reached on a bunt single down the third base line to load the bases before Halbert's fifth strikeout of the afternoon for the first out. Halbert added to the drama with a full-count strikeout for the second out before an infield single that plated a pair of Belles to tie the game at 3-3, Moore ended the inning with a diving stop to send the teams to the home half of the seventh.
 
Hardin continued her hot streak at the plate as the senior singled up the middle to start the inning but Marlett responded with three straight outs including a fly ball to the wall in right by Moore to head to extra innings. Halbert handed out a leadoff walk in the eighth followed by a fielder's choice groundout to get the lead runner, Bina tripled to left center to drive in the leading run before Halbert responded with two outs to end the inning.
 
McBroom grounded out to short to start the home half followed by a walk to Starkey with one out, Allie Smith reached on a fielding error by the Belles to put runners on first and second as Mari Ruiz entered to run for Smith at first. McLemore grounded into a fielder's choice to move runners to the corners with two outs before a line out to left ended the game at 4-3.
 
Halbert picked up the loss (10-4) for the Lady Buffs, allowing four runs (three earned) on 11 hits with three walks and six strikeouts in the complete game loss.